Fasting - What is it?
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is taught in the Bible. Jesus expected His followers to fast, and He said that God rewards fasting. Fasting, according to the Bible, means to voluntarily reduce or eliminate your intake of food for a specific time and purpose to glorify God, enhance our spirit and go deeper in our relationship with God.  

"When you give up eating, don't put on a sad face like the hypocrites. They make their faces look sad to show people they are giving up eating. I tell you the truth, those hypocrites already have their full reward. So when you give up eating, comb your hair and wash your face. Then people will not know that you are giving up eating, but your Father, whom you cannot see, will see you. Your Father sees what is done in secret, and he will reward you." Matthew 6:16-18 (NCV) 

1.     Fasting gives you more time for prayer. You can use the time you'd normally spend eating as time in prayer for what God wants to do among us during this 5 day of fasting. In the Bible, fasting is always connected with prayer. 

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off."
Acts 13:2-3 (NIV) 

2.     Fasting demonstrates the depth of your desire when praying for something. It shows you that you are serious enough about your prayer request to pay a personal price. God honors deep desire and praying in faith. 

"Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” Joel 1:14 (NIV) 

"Even now," declares the Lord, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Joel 2:12 (NASB) 

3.     Fasting releases God's supernatural power. It is a tool we can use when there is opposition to God's will. Satan would like nothing better than to cause division, discouragement, defeat, depression, and doubt among us. United prayer and fasting has always been used by God to deal a decisive blow to the enemy! 

 

"So we fasted and prayed about these concerns. And he listened." Ezra 8:23 (Msg) 

"God says, "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" Isaiah 58:6 (NIV) 

4.     Fasting helps us dominate the desire of the flesh and strengthen our spiritual life. 

“For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” Galatians 5:17

 

Often in the Bible, God's people fasted immediately before a major victory, miracle, or answer to prayer. It prepared them for a blessing! 

"Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant--the Ten Commandments." Exodus 34:28 (NIV) 

"Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah." 2 Chronicles 20:2-3 (NIV) 

"So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." Daniel 9:3 (NIV) 

"While I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, 'Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding.'"
Daniel 9:21-22 (NIV) 

"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." Nehemiah 1:4 (NIV) 

"For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up he was hungry." Luke 4:2 (Msg) 

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off."
Acts 13:2-3 (NIV) 

2. Fast only if your health allows it at this time. If you are able to do only a partial fast - do it in faith and God will honor your intentions. 

 

On this next 5 days of fasting, here are 5 areas that we will be asking God to help us in our life as a church.

 

·       My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Lord God, Please forgive me
for all the things I have done wrong. I turn to you and turn away from sin. Jesus, please be the center of my life. I welcome you personally as Lord and Savior of my life. I ask you, Holy Spirit, to fill me and empower me to live as a child of God. I want to have your grace to truly live a new life. Thank you for hearing my prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 

·       Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 

Lord God, You have taught me that You have a plan for my life. Your hand guides my steps and providw me with all I need. Because You are good, You want only the best for me. Good and gracious God, I ask that Your pathway will become manifest in my life. Help me to walk in the paths that You have laid out in front of me and lead me through the narrow gate. Help me to do your will and not my own. My desire is to please you with all that I do with and in my life. Amen.

 

·       Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

Loving Father, I praise you because you are the Almighty God full of mighty power and there is none like you. You are the Creator and sustain every living creature in the world. You created me to worship and be in communion with you daily. My heart longs to dwell in your presence every day because that is where your joy is. Your word says if I draw closer to you, you will draw closer to me (James 4:8). Today I draw closer to you through prayer and I ask you to help me experience you in a special way. When I spend time with you, I feel refreshed and ready to face the chores of the day. My spirit feels light and trusts in you to take care of me every day. Refresh me that I may be a fountain of living water that others can draw water from when they encounter me. I want to bless others with the comfort you give me and the hope you fill me with as I seek your face. Let me never tire of drawing closer to you because you are my God and my helper, in Jesus Name I ask, Amen. 

 

·       And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

 

Heavenly God, Give me courage today to be doer of your word in a world that is lost in sin. Give me boldness to act on your call to justice in my life, especially when no one is watching or applauding. Help me be obedient to your Word in full and be selective in your Word. Help me to please you with my life in obedience to you, Amen.

·       Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

 

Prayer for Servanthood mind, heart and spirit

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the joyful, abundant life that is mine through our Lord Jesus Christ. Guide me according to Your will and help me become a servant to serve you and all those around me. Help me serve in love and may my life be a worthy example to others in service to you. Amen